The First Summer of Forever

Chapters 10- This is When the Feeling Sinks In

Belly

After our rendezvous in the hallway, Conrad asked if I wanted to soak in the bath with him. Of course I did. I've always wanted to bathe in that tub since I was little, but my whole life I've been stuck sharing a smallish bathroom with the boys. I went into the bathroom, looking for some bubble bath. I knew there had to be some in here somewhere. I finally found it in the back of one of the cabinets. It was some fancy bottle that I didn't recognize, but it smelled divine. Like herbs right out of a garden. I knew it was Susannah's.

I turned the water on in the big clawfoot tub and poured some of the bubble bath into the stream of flowing water. "Don't get it too hot." Conrad pleaded. "It's my only request." He said with a smile, throwing his hands up. I looked at him wryly and said "Your only request?" I did like hot baths, but not the ones that made you feel like you were going to pass out. Conrad got in first, as the tub was filling, and motioned for me to come over. "Well, I can't make any promises there." He said from the tub, his eyes burning holes in me.

"One second, we need mood lighting." I said with a laugh. I found some candles and began lighting them. "I love taking candle lit bubble baths." I said.

"Can't say I've ever tried it." Conrad admitted.

"Well, you've been missing out then." I rebutted. "It's the best when you're feeling down or stressed." I said.

"Okay, you sold me. Get in here." Conrad laid against the back of the tub, and motioned for me again to get in.

I carefully stepped into the slippery porcelain tub and lowered myself down, Conrad holding my hands. I leaned back against him, and he wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder, kissing it first. " It's also romantic." I said, sing-songy. Conrad laughed at that thought and said, "I love you, Belly. I...I don't think I could ever tell you enough or get tired of saying it." He whispered. "Me either." I said. "I love you, Conrad. More than you'll ever know. More than infinity."

We sat there for a while just like that, soaking up the moment. I always felt like I had to soak it in while I could. I realized that I still anticipated Conrad suddenly getting distant and stuck in his thoughts, even though he's shown me that's not him anymore. Still, it's hard to forget the past. Then I felt Conrad brush my shoulder with a washcloth. He ran it down my arm, around to my chest, washed my chest tenderly, then my stomach. He continued until every inch of me was clean. It was strange, how the simplest thing could be so insanely intimate. Having someone bathe you like that, you're kind of entrusting them with all of your vulnerabilities. But with Conrad, I felt more comfortable than I ever thought I could be. It didn't feel unnatural at all.

"Dunk down and wet your hair." Conrad said, while getting the shampoo. I sank down between his legs and dunked my head under water for just a second- long enough to wet my hair. He squeezed shampoo in his hands and started running his fingers through my hair with it, scrubbing my scalp. I let my head fall back because it just felt that good. I loved getting my hair washed at the salon when I got a haircut. It was always the best part. Conrad's long fingers weaved through my strands, and down the length of my hair. "I've always loved your hair." Conrad almost whispered. He had never told me that before, but I know he loved playing with my hair. He sometimes twirled it around his finger, or brushed the bottom like he was stroking a windchime. When we were younger he would shuffle his hands through my hair at the scalp, disheveling it, or pull my ponytail, teasing me.

Conrad had this way of making me swoon over the simplest of things. "Okay, time to rinse." He said. So I sunk back down in the water and rinsed my hair, Con helping by running his fingers through my hair again. This isn't our first time bathing together. We used to do it as kids all the time. When we were toddlers, our moms would throw all of us in a tub together at the end of the day and we'd play for a long time. As we got older, we would get in with our bathing suits on until we couldn't all fit anymore. We were probably 4,5,and 6. I never thought that one day I would be in the tub with that same kid who I grew up with, but he'd be my husband. Okay, so maaayyybe in my wildest dreams, yes. But I never thought those would come true. When Con was finished washing and rinsing my hair, I said "okay, it's your turn!" And I twirled around in the tub to face him, our legs crossing over one another's.